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Prepping for College Prep
-Chante Dent
Young adults have many options after high school. If you are a parent or a student, this eye-opening interview can assist you in navigating the academic journey.
Patrina Smalls, you are an admissions counselor at Life Univer- sity in Marietta, GA. Tell me about your role?
I travel to various high schools and talk to students about life after high school. I also attend college fairs and when students visit my campus I am able to give them a tour and provide additional information about what Life University has to offer.
Once a student meets with you, what is the next for them and for you as an Admissions Counselor?
When talking with students, I do not focus on trying to get them to come to my school. Instead, I try to find out what they want to do in life. Everybody may not go to college so I try to help them develop a plan of action for life after high school. It is sad when I ask an 11th-grade student what they want to do and they tell me that they do not know. Usually, it is because they do not believe in themselves or they have not been surrounded by people who believe in them or encour- ages them to follow their dreams. If I can, I will even separate a student from their parents because sometimes there is a fear factor if they do not say what their parents want to hear. I have had students cry by the time we finish talking. Some- times we do a disservice to students by not listening to them or paying attention to what they show an interest in. Some parents push their children toward careers that make a lot of money versus encouraging them to pursue a career that they will love. I believe that if we teach them how to manage their money, they can do what they really want to do and live well. When talking to students, I always tell them, do not chase money, instead, chase your purpose. Chase what you believe
you were created to do and you will love it and it will not feel like a job.
What advice would you give to parents?
Parents, assist your children and let them make decisions. Talk to them about what they want to do. Let them take the lead, and encourage them to pursue their dreams. When you know what your child wants to be, you can put them in that environment early. Help them set up interviews with profes- sionals in their field of interest. Get them in the environment of people who are already doing what you want to do. You should definitely start thinking about college in junior high school and begin visiting college campuses as early as the 7th and 8th grade. Parents and students should also begin to re- search. Meaning, look into colleges that offer majors/degrees of interest and research scholarships. I highly suggest creat- ing an email address specifically for scholarships and have a binder for all college information to stay organized. Attending college fairs is imperative to get contact information and stay in touch with the college representatives - you want to build a rapport. When visiting colleges, call ahead and schedule it. Meet the administrators, sit in on a class, and get to know the overall environment and culture of the school. Also, if you play a sport, contact the coach you don’t have to wait for them to contact you. Attend a game and always focus on building relationships.
What academic steps should they take while in junior high and high school?
Take the ACT and the SAT early so that you can get a feel of each test, then retake. Only the highest grade is considered. Also, get a jump-start with dual enrollment. While in high school, you can enroll in general education courses at a local campus or online. Colleges also take your extracurricular ac- tivities into consideration, so join school clubs, volunteer, and apply for internships. Show involvement. Do not sell yourself short even if you do not have the best grades. When writing an essay or talking to a college representative do not be afraid to share your story because when they know your why they may gain a better understanding of what the grades they see on paper.
What golden nuggets can you give to the student who is entering college? How can they make the transition easier?
*Diversify your friendships
*Get to know different cultures
*Do not limit your opportunities
*Remain teachable as questions
*Do not be afraid to go for what you really want and surround yourselves with people who are doing what you want to do
*Do not dumb down to fit in
How can our readers get in touch with you? patrina.smalls@life.edu
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